Federal Labor will contribute $2 million to expand the opportunity to park and ride at North Fremantle train station to ease parking shortages and encourage more commuters to use public transport.

Federal Labor’s investment will be drawn from its $300 million National Park and Ride Fund for new or expanded car parks at public transport hubs and the project will be delivered in partnership with the City of Fremantle, and through an appropriate arrangement with Fremantle Ports, which controls the land.

This means commuters rushing to catch their trains to work are forced to park in surrounding streets and walk to the station, creating inconvenience for nearby residents. Alternatively, they simply drive to work.

A Federal Labor Government would fund the delivery of an additional 177 parking spaces on land on Port Beach Road on the western side of the train station.

This facility will not only make weekday commuting from North Fremantle easier for local residents, but will provide additional weekend parking for the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club, whose members currently have to deal with a shortage of safe parking.

As evidence of the need for this project, the land is currently used for overflow parking in an informal and unsafe manner.

Across Australia, traffic congestion is acting as a hand brake on productivity and is eroding our national quality of life.

The problem has worsened during more than five years of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government, which has cut funding for public transport projects across the nation.

Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the North Fremantle expansion would make a real, practical difference for commuters while also reducing congestion for local residents.

“We’ll not only invest in new public transport services, but also deliver practical measures to help commuters get to work with a minimum of fuss, including through our new Park and Ride Fund,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“Public transport isn’t just about the train line or bus route itself. It’s also about the surrounding infrastructure that makes it work for local residents.’’

Member for Fremantle Josh Wilson said the Park and Ride project was necessary because of the existing shortage of parking in North Fremantle and increased commercial and residential development on the western side of the rail line.

“While new train stations that are being developed in Perth include significant parking space for commuters, it’s important that we also invest in facilities at existing stations like North Fremantle,’’ Mr Wilson said.

“One train can take hundreds of cars off our city’s roads. That is why it is critical that governments invest in facilities to encourage greater use of public transport. In this case we also get an expansion of safe parking that serves the acute needs of the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club.”